Protect Your Beloved Pet from Water Dangers

Cooling off at the pool, lake, or beach is welcome on a hot summer day. Your dog can enjoy the water but a few essential precautions should be taken.

Most dogs will instinctively paddle if in water over their head but not all dogs are good swimmers. Always supervise your pet around water. A small kiddie pool may be a better way for your pet to cool off than the big pool. Also, once they are in the water not all dogs can figure out how to get out of the pool and can become exhausted.

Try to minimize your pet swallowing water for several reasons. Chlorine in a pool or algae and microorganisms in lake water can cause vomiting and diarrhea. If your pet swallows too much fresh water, a dangerous drop in the blood sodium can occur, potentially causing brain swelling and seizures. This condition is called water toxicity. At the beach ingesting salt water will cause a rapid increase in the blood sodium resulting in neurological symptoms.